Amends the Franchise Disclosure Act of 1987. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the creation of the Franchise Advisory Board.
Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall establish uniform procedures for providing timely advance notice of early release of inmates to law enforcement in local jurisdictions and shall submit a report to the General Assembly, by January 1, 2011, of those notice procedures. Provides that the 14-day advance notice of early release of an inmate because of the award of good conduct credit for meritorious service shall be provided to the Governor and sheriff of the county where the prosecution took place. Effective immediately.
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that a non-expert's opinion or inference testimony is limited to opinions or inferences that are rationally based on his or her perception, helpful to a clear understanding of his or her testimony or the determination of a fact in issue, and not based on scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge. Sets forth requirements regarding: qualifications, testimony, disclosure, and compensation of expert witnesses; bases of expert opinion testimony; limitations on expert testimony; pre-trial hearings and disclosures concerning expert witnesses; precedents to be followed in interpreting the new provisions; interlocutory appeals of rulings on the admissibility of expert evidence; standards to be followed by reviewing courts in determining the admissibility of expert testimony; severability; and other matters. Applies to actions commenced on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act and pending actions in which a trial has not been scheduled or in which a trial has been scheduled more than 90 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.
Re-enacts and changes various provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure relating to product liability actions that were added by Public Act 89-7, which was held to be void in its entirety by the Illinois Supreme Court in Best v. Taylor Machine Works, 179 Ill. 2d 367 (1997). Effective immediately.
Creates the Full and Fair Noneconomic Damages Act. Provides that, in determining noneconomic damages, the fact finder may not consider: (i) evidence of a defendant's alleged wrongdoing, misconduct, or guilt; (ii) evidence of the defendant's wealth or financial resources; or (iii) any other evidence that is offered for the purpose of punishing the defendant, rather than offered for a compensatory purpose. Provides for bifurcated trials before the same jury in cases involving punitive damages, if requested by any defendant. Outlines the procedure for the bifurcated trials. Provides for court post-trial review of noneconomic damage awards pursuant to non-exclusive factors: the passions or prejudices of the trier of fact were inflamed; the defendant's wealth was considered; or the defendant's misconduct was considered so as to punish the defendant contrary to punitive damage award standards. Effective immediately.
Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Provides that the Division of Professional Regulation of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is prohibited from expending any funds to enforce any rule that requires a person or pharmacy to dispense emergency contraception medication.
Creates the Transparency in Lawsuits Protection Act. Provides that the purpose of the Act is to ensure that any Act, regulatory or otherwise, enacted in this State shall not create a private right of action unless such a right is expressly stated in the Act. Provides that any Act enacted in this State creating a private right of action shall contain express language providing for such a right and that courts of this State shall not construe a statute to imply a private right of action in the absence of such express language. Applies to any action that has not yet been initiated or is pending on the effective date of the Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
Amends the Election Code. Makes a technical change in a Section of the campaign finance Article concerning definitions.
Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that an inmate is ineligible for the award of meritorious good conduct credit if the inmate was convicted of: (1) a violent crime as defined in the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act committed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act or (2) a second or subsequent violation of driving under the influence or aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol or any other drug or drugs, or intoxicating compound or compounds, or any combination thereof committed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.
